Civil LiberTrees

In this episode, Emma speaks with MSN, RN, and Public Health Nurse Jennifer Muller about her experiences as a qualified health care practitioner during COVID-19 in Northern California. As a witness to an array of dynamic cultural changes over the course of the pandemic, she describes how her community simultaneously contributed to and hindered the area’s recovery. Bridging her professional expertise with her background as a parent and human being, she emphasizes the role of empathy when responding to catastrophic events and attests to the responsibilities that nurses weigh when making decisions about what to do next. She shares how these pressures shaped her decision to leave school nursing, how rising skepticism toward science threatens frontline work, and what changing national leadership could mean for healthcare, school safety, and vaccine access. Tune in for a grounded look at care, conflict, and public health resilience.

Kenyora Parham, CEO of End Rape on Campus, and Ciera Blehm, CEO of the Survivor Fund, started the Centering the Survivor Podcast in October, 2024. In this episode of Civil LiberTrees, Catherine, Emma, and Vinny join them to discuss the role of the institution in preventing sexual violence, with particular attention to the role of Greek Life on campus—both positive and negative. They discuss how campus sexual violence persists despite formal policies, and why survivor-centered tools—like financial support funds and accountability maps—are essential. The conversation explores free speech barriers, online and institutional backlash, and the additional obstacles faced by survivors with marginalized identities. Undergraduate students quickly rotate in and out of institutions, but by highlighting their individual experiences, any institution can pave the way for others to follow in their footsteps, counteracting complacency and challenging the narrative by Centering the Survivor. If you want to learn more about the Centering the Survivor Series Podcast, follow them on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Trigger Warning: This episode contains mentions of sexual violence and assault. 

On January 30, 2026, hundreds gathered in Stanford’s White Plaza in a grassroots protest opposing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement's violent deportation tactics in American cities. Chaos in Minneapolis surrounding the deaths of two American citizens, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti, at the hands of border patrol agents, has elicited many students, teachers, and working-class communities to rise and resist, with as many as 50,000 going on strike in Minneapolis and thousands more in cities across the nation. Responding to a call from student organizations at the University of Minnesota, Stanford students developed a space of solidarity for communities suffering from state violence and took a stand against the discriminatory actions by the federal government. This episode documents the perspectives of organizers, protestors, and observers on Stanford’s “ICE Out” protests, the state of free speech rights on campus, and the importance of collective organizing. 

In this episode of Civil LiberTrees, Catherine discusses the beginning of Donald Trump’s presidency with Andrew Eskin, Esq. who has decades of experience in the federal government and teaches Policymaking at Stanford in Washington. This episode reviews President Trump’s recent flurry of executive orders as well as Elon Musk’s role in the new administration. Mr. Eskin provides an insightful perspective on what President Trump has already done, cutting through the noise to discern the ways his presidency may clash with other Washington powers and what changes we can expect in the next few months.

In this episode of Civil LiberTrees, hosts Kaden and Anya sit down with Dr. Paul Burow, a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University, to explore the intersections of environmental justice, Indigenous land stewardship, and the ongoing impact of settler colonialism. Dr. Burow delves into his work with tribal nations in California's Eastern Sierra, examining the vital role of collaborative forest management, cultural landscape preservation, and Indigenous-led initiatives in the face of climate change. Tune in for an insightful discussion on the power of community-based research, the need for systemic shifts in environmental policy, and the inspirational resilience of Indigenous communities as they reclaim their land and rights for future generations.

In this episode, we speak with three Stanford alumni—Christine Mrak, James Schoch, and Ira Arlook—who were deeply involved in Vietnam War activism during their time on campus. Their stories offer a fascinating look into the experiences and challenges of protesting the Vietnam War, drawing parallels to modern campus movements. They also share valuable advice for young activists looking to create meaningful change in today’s world.

TW:  This episode contains mentions of death, violence, and disciplinary proceedings at Stanford.

Music:

“Black Heat” by Ross Bugden

“Signal to Noise” by Scott Buckley

“Political BGM” by Rijo Tunes

“Demise of A Nation” by Secession Studios

“Phoenix” by Scott Buckley

“Resolution” by Scott Buckley

In this episode, we discuss free speech and Palestinian history with Zeena Khazendar. Zeena is a refugee health researcher at Stanford University School of Medicine who is Palestinian, and her primary area of focus is refugee mental health in Palestine and Kenya. Zeena shares insight on the ongoing genocide of Palestinians, the resulting public health crises, and the suppression of Palestinian voices.

For a full transcript of this episode, visit [https://www.stanfordaclu.com/podcast].

This is Part II of our conversation with Professor Hank Greely, “From Pap Smear to Prison: DNA Collection and the Fourth Amendment.” Professor Greely discusses surreptitious DNA collection and corporate use of DNA, and he explains major privacy issues and racial disparities in DNA databases. For a written transcript of this episode, visit https://www.stanfordaclu.com/podcast.

To hear the first part of this conversation, listen to Episode 12 at https://open.spotify.com/episode/2jbNYFEXSul7LSqulO4IL4?si=90b325ba3ad94805

On this episode of Civil Libertrees, Stanford Law Professor Hank Greely discusses forensic DNA collection and its potential infringement on Fourth Amendment rights. Greely discusses the case of the BTK serial killer and the path from his daughter’s pap smear to his eventual arrest and imprisonment. This episode is a must listen for both law enthusiasts and true crime fans! For a written transcript of this episode, see https://www.stanfordaclu.com/podcast. 

TW: mentions of rape, sexual assault, murder, and violence 

On today's episode, we interview Dr. Eujin Park, who teaches at the Stanford Graduate School of Education. We discuss the implications of the Supreme Court decisions in the SFFA v. Harvard and SFFA v. UNC cases, and we examine what the elimination of affirmative action means for university admissions moving forward.

Producers/Hosts: Catherine Titzer and Elsa McElhinney

Excerpts of student section sourced from Dr. Park's Stanford Profile.